Your Problem
by clocks-and-cages
Summary: Lola refuses to feel heartbreak when she discovers who Catherine's most recent affair has been with. When Narcisse approaches Lola at the spring festival, she turns her back on him, but doing so results in an unexpected reaction.
1. Chapter 1

Because I love Lorcisse so much it hurts and we haven't gotten any on the show in weeks. I don't own Reign, obviously, or any of it's characters, etc, etc. This fic was inspired by Laurel's Fire Breather, if you want to check it out. Reviews are always appreciated!

* * *

Lola was beginning to wonder at the way heartbreak could play out so beautifully.

The night was warmer than it had been in months, finally breaking free of winter's endless chill, and lit up by the warm glow of the spring festival. She balanced on the fringe of the light, not quite turning her back on the shadows but not embracing them, either. On that night she was content to simply watch, the torches flickering in the blue of her eyes, as oblivious faces admired the dried flowers on the tables or paper decorations hanging from each tent, not recognizing the pain and sorrow so carefully laced into each one. Parties were Kenna's escape and Lola knew it more than anyone, having watched the poor girl plaster on a smile as Francis granted her the money and permission to organize such an event.

_(Maybe he recognized the pain in her eyes, the way she wandered so lost throughout the castle. He had taken to doing the same lately - two moons without entities to orbit around, without a sun to warm them, both blaming themselves for their isolation.)_

There were lanterns hanging on strings near the water, their reflections glittering, and people danced in a small clearing that had been made to the music of a wonderful group Kenna had discovered in the village. The kitchens had been practically chaotic that morning in preparation for the party, and now all the hard work was displayed beautifully on a long table. The royals had made their appearance, a couple that could be so beautiful if it weren't for the painful ice that grew in the air between them, frigid and clawing at each in turn. Lola nodded her head with a smile as they passed, but the tilt of her lips was every bit as forced as Kenna's, as Mary's, as Francis's.

_("I've heard he's taken her to his bed. It shouldn't be surprising - they're both such __**powerful**__ people, and Catherine has certainly had her eye on him for quite a while now.")_

Kenna's heartbreak was contagious, it seemed - she'd passed it onto Lola after a night when she'd missed Bash just a bit too much and had finally been desperate enough to drown the pain in drink. She didn't remember a word she said the next morning, and perhaps it was for the best. The last thing Kenna needed was one more ruined romance weighing down on her conscience. That day, Lola had found Mary and practically thrown herself into diligent service, looking over letters, reading maps, arranging table settings.

Yes, it seemed heartbreak suited the three of them quite well.

But it wasn't broken, Lola had to remind herself as a man politely sought her out from her corner and shyly asked for a dance. She curtsied with a smile and allowed herself to be swept away into the light and the warmth, determined to quit sulking for the night. It wasn't broken because it had never been his in the first place, no matter how many long hours she'd spent beneath her covers mulling over his words and wondering at the way her sheets seemed to feel so cold. She refused to crumble at the way he so easily ignored and forgot her these days, refused to be angry or upset with him. She refused to feel anything toward him at all, she decided as she focused her attention on the young man in front of her. He was tall with sweet green eyes and a surprising splash of freckles on her face. As they swept around in a circle Lola offered him a sudden grin. He blinked and smiled tentatively in return.

As the music slowed she prepared herself for another dance when a hand grasped firmly at her elbow, the gesture so sudden and intimate that her partner's eyes grew wide. Lola was quick to yank her arm away even though the warmth remained as she turned, glowering at the man beside her. Narcisse simply smirked in return. "Lady Lola. Such a pleasure to see you finally out of the castle."

Her partner took a step forward - a noble effort, and Lola smiled at him in thanks. Narcisse followed the movement and his eyebrows raised. "I do apologize, have I interrupted something?"

The young man was forced to smile by common courtesy, though he clearly was unhappy about the entire situation. "I was just about to ask the Lady for another dance."

"Indeed," Narcisse rumbled, still smiling lazily. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask for a cut, in this case. I have important matters to discuss with her, and opportunities for such a conversation have been scarce lately."

Irritation sparked within Lola as the young man reluctantly bowed and stepped away. Narcisse didn't hesitate to help her into position, the light from the lanterns casting lanterns onto that smile. Lola surprised herself, though, drawing away and curtsying neatly. "I'm sorry, my lord, but you'll have to excuse me."

It was perhaps the rudest thing she'd done in many months, and what was worse was it had no effect - only moments after she'd found her old place did she feel a hand grasp hers from behind her, turning her to face blue eyes that shone at her even in the darkness. One eyebrow was gracefully arched. "Running away from your problems? How very unlike you."

She tugged her hand away, glancing over her shoulder briefly before moving farther into the shadows and behind a tent. The music still played brightly, but it did nothing to improve her mood as she glared at him. "You're hardly a problem. Simply a nuisance, especially when you seem so determined to chase away potential suitors."

"He seemed quite dull," Narcisse drawled, as at ease as she'd ever seen him. She wished she could be the same.

"I fail to see why you care," Lola managed through gritted teeth, her hands fisting in the fabric of her skirts.

"I'd hate to see such a fire as yours be reduced to a candle by a boring lifestyle, especially when you are very well aware that there are others who could offer you more."

"Others?" Lola scoffed. "Do you honestly think I would make the same mistake twice? I've learned very well not to touch something that so clearly belongs to a queen."

Instead of being flustered, as she'd so desperately hoped he would be, Narcisse chuckled. "So you've heard. It seems not even my bedroom activities can remain private." When she didn't respond, he grinned crookedly. "Do I detect a note of jealousy, Lady Lola?"

"What you _detect_," she all but spat, "is a note of _irritation_. You've clearly had your amusement, so why not leave me be?"

His grin faltered for a moment. "If you're implying that I don't care for you - "

"That is exactly what I am implying," Lola cut him off, taking a step back. "And that I don't care for you, either, so if you would kindly untangle yourself from my social affairs I would greatly appreciate it."

"You seemed to feel very differently when you all but threw yourself at me not so long ago."

Lola flushed. "I was not in my right mind."

Narcisse moved forward abruptly, his arm slipping around her back and drawing her close enough to take her breath away. He regarded her with mocking thoughtfulness. "And would you say you are in your right mind now?"

Lola was grateful for the darkness as her face grew impossibly more red. "Absolutely."

He leaned in slowly, his lips grazing against her ear. "And now?"

Feeling herself close to caving, Lola abruptly tore herself away from his embrace, glaring. "It's irrelevant."

She was turning on her heels and just about to leave when his words stopped her. "Would it be relevant if I told you that a certain queen has moved on, and that I am actually rather glad she has done so?"

Lola spun around, feeling herself snap. "No, it would not be relevant! Because no matter what happens, there will always be another whose invitation you'll be accepting while I'm all but begging for a husband."

"Is that so?" Narcisse advanced on her, eyes flashing. "Because as I hear it, his Royal Highness himself seems quite willing to have you by his side these days. Who needs a husband when they have the love of a king? Or a prince, for that matter, as I recall that Prince Conde was courting you for some time as well?"

"And yet here I stand before you, perfectly alone." Lola spread her arms out wide, the truth of her own words sinking between the spaces of her ribcage, eating away at the thing beating there. "I don't have the love of _anyone_, and you certainly aren't helping the situation."

Again he stepped forward, so close she could feel his breath on her face, though he didn't touch her this time. "You know that's not true."

She would not break for this man. So instead of collapsing and weeping like she wanted to, she forced herself to grow steely. Her eyes clashed with his. "Isn't it?"

He didn't hesitate and she wasn't surprised, his mouth crashing against hers in a way that was hungry and angry and everything that they were in that moment. She felt the heat of his hands against her waist, her own fingers betraying her as they grasped at his shoulders. It was a kiss that was so desperate that it obliterated all else until the need for air awakened her, made her pull away and raise her fingers to her swollen lips. He stared at her in the darkness, his chest rising and falling in time with hers.

"I always come back to you," he said after a moment, his voice unusually raw. "Even when you betray me, even when there are others who could certainly offer me more protection, I falter."

She shook her head slowly, feeling somewhat dizzy. When she spoke her voice was a whisper. "That's not good enough."

His expression flickered, then suddenly hardened back into its usual mask, his lips tilting upward crookedly. He gently took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, leaning in. Her lips parted despite herself, but he didn't kiss her. Instead he lingered just a hair's breadth away. "Then I suppose I'll just have to continue being your problem."

And with that he was gone, leaving her feeling especially chilled as he vanished back into the shadows from which he'd come.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! So I'll be completely honest - I fully intended for this story to be a oneshot xD But your reception of it took me totally by surprise. You're all so sweet! I really appreciate the feedback, so I think I'm going to give this a shot and try to make it a multichapter. As I have it planned right now, the chapters will be of varying lengths, but will string together to form a coherent story, I promise! This one will probably be among the shorter ones, and for that I apologize. Again, thank you all for your wonderful reviews, you have no idea how much they mean to me.

* * *

It was shameful, the way she spent the entirety of the night tangled in her sheets trying desperately to remember exactly how his lips had felt against hers. He had an infuriating tendency of causing restless nights, and she'd about had enough of it.

After several hours of drifting in and out of some semblance of sleep, she finally awakened with a pounding headache and a raw feeling at the back of her throat. When a servant attempted to pull the curtains open she groaned and begged that they be kept shut. It was absolutely ridiculous - she couldn't remember being sick since she was a little girl - but upon seeing the state of her Kenna immediately insisted she stay in bed and had some warm, tasteless mush and herbs brought to her room. Lola regarded them with distaste and refused to eat them, instead requesting that a fire be built and then that she be left in peace. A chill had set back into the air of France again, stealing the hope that had been granted by the unusually warm temperatures of the last few days - teeth chattering, Lola pulled her blankets up to her chin and curled up on her side, perfectly content to keep her misery to herself.

It was mid-afternoon when the door swung open again. Lola squeezed her eyes shut and rolled so her back was facing the door. "Kenna, I'm fine, I promise. I just need some rest."

"Now that is absolutely not true." The drawl made her freeze, eyes snapping open. She swore the pain in her head spiked, and after a moment she buried her face in her pillow, breathing in its scent and hoping that if she ignored him long enough Narcisse would simply give up and leave.

But he'd never been the kind to give up, had he? It was something they had in common, though she resented the fact as she heard his footsteps approach her bedside rather than leave it. She wanted so badly to be angry, to spin around and snap for him to leave her alone like she'd asked. But she was exhausted and a mess, and besides with he'd promised to do the exact opposite.

_(And a small, secret part of her didn't want him to leave. She wouldn't acknowledge it, but it was there nonetheless. The past couple of days, she'd tried to dismiss her feelings toward him as simply enjoying her company. It was a lie, of course, but one that she was perfectly willing to tell in order to hide a much more terrifying truth.)_

"And you haven't even touched your food? Terrible."

Rolling over onto her back, she mustered the best glare she could. She imagined she looked a mess, her face pasty and her hair disheveled, but she was beyond caring at that point. Or at least, that was what she told herself. Under his scrutiny, though, she shifted uncomfortably. She hated having _anyone_ see her so weak and unkempt, least of all him. "Just leave me alone to suffer in peace."

Narcisse listed his head. "I think that might be the first time a lady requested I leave her bedroom."

"I'm not requesting. I'm ordering."

"You always were rather demanding, weren't you?" Narcisse settled himself at the foot of her bed, thoroughly enjoying himself. She could tell by the sly look in his eyes, the barely concealed smirk. She was tempted to kick him, but decided against it. The action would probably hurt more than it would hurt him, anyway. "Such a shame to see that spark confined by illness." A pause, and he glanced again at her bedside table, raising an eyebrow. "You should eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Starving yourself will only make it last longer." He reached over her for the tray and she shrank away, eyes wide. By the time he'd manage to lift a spoonful of the mush, probably cold by that point, she'd composed herself enough to glower.

"I won't be fed like a small child."

She expected him to fight back, but something in her expression must have conveyed all the stubbornness she was prepared to unleash upon him. He sighed dramatically and replaced the tray. "Very well. But an empty belly certainly won't make you any less ill."

"I'm not ill, just tired," Lola asserted, closing her eyes to emphasize her point. "I simply need rest."

She felt the weight on her bed shift, and suddenly something pressed up against her forehead. Her eyes flew open to see him much closer, his hand pressing up against her face. She could see the angles of his face, the line of his jaw, just as clearly as before he'd kissed her. He knew it, too. His eyes mocked her. "Are you certain? You feel a bit warm."

"Do you truly enjoy seeing me such, Lord Narcisse?" she jerked away, cringing at the pain the sudden movement caused. He saw, she knew he did, but said nothing. "Leave me be."

"It would be against my moral obligation to do so." He finally released that smirk, and she would be lying if she said that her heart didn't stutter a bit when he did.

_No. You can't do this. Not again._ Lola groaned loudly and rolled away from him, glaring at her own covers. "Fine. Then you can simply sit and entertain yourself by watching me sleep. I'm certain it will be quite exciting."

"Perhaps I will."

She refused to give into him, so she lay still, not squirming even when her muscles grew stiff. Eventually she managed to drift off, listening to the sound of the dying fire and his soft breathing not far from her. It was a simple hymn, a soothing lullaby that let her believe, for the few moments she spent between wakefulness and sleep, that such a thing could be normal. That she could always lie down beside the sound of his breathing. And then she tumbled into a dream where she was back among tumbling green and crashing blue, a wind pulling against her as she stood along the shores of her homeland.


	3. Chapter 3

I apologize for the wait, guys! I wanted to see how the relationship would progress on the show before I continued. Unfortunately, what we're seeing is rather disheartening, but I haven't lost hope. Lola and Narcisse have argued before - certainly this can't be the end of them. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm really excited to get this story rolling, so I hope you guys are willing to stick with me through some of these slower chapters. Also, thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! They truly make my day.

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When Lola awakened, drowsy and confused, it wasn't to Narcisse's smirk. _(She refused to admit how much she had hoped she would. She would not travel down that road again.) _Instead it was to the slightly worried face of one of her maids, a young girl with mousy hair and a pretty smile, though it was nowhere to be seen at the moment.

"Queen Catherine has requested an audience with you, m'lady."

Queens did not make requests. Lola had learned that very well in the company of Mary. This was an order, and one that made Lola's heart sink. She stared at her maid incredulously. "This instant?"

The maid paused. Lola had no doubt that she was inwardly cringing at her state of disarray. "Immediately, yes."

Lola scrambled from beneath her covers, the pain in her head spiking as she did so. One hand desperately tried to smooth the wrinkles from her nightgown while the other flew to her head. "I'm not even - my hair - "

The door swung open regardless of her protests, just as Lola knew it would. Catherine had never been the patient or sympathetic type. Or at least, not toward Lola. Their relationship had only ever been lukewarm in its very best moments. Most times, it was frigid as ice. Lola knew exactly where they stood at the moment when she saw the determined tilt of Catherine's chin, the way her eyes flashed and her lips curled up into an unfriendly smile. Perhaps, in a way, Lola respected her for that stubborn pride and seemingly unbreakable will. But she refused to be afraid of Catherine, just as she refused to have feelings for Narcisse. _(It was those refusals that kept her sane, that kept her in line, that kept her safe.)_

"Lady Lola. I did hear you had recently taken ill. How unfortunate." Lola couldn't help but notice that it didn't seem like Catherine thought it was unfortunate at all. "I'm so sorry to bother you at such a time, but I'm afraid the matter is most urgent."

The maid had shrunk back, away from Catherine's overwhelming presence, and now the queen caught sight of her. Her lip curled. "Leave."

Lola watched as the girl helplessly stumbled through a curtsy and fled the room, the door clicking shut behind her. Catherine took a moment before turning to face Lola again, her hands folded neatly in front of her while that wicked smile remained plastered to her face. Lola wanted to balk, but instead she felt her shoulders square and her own chin rise despite the way her body ached in protest. "Always so dramatic."

"One has to be if they wish for others to give you the right sort of attention. You, on the other hand, seem to have a talent for attracting all the wrong kind."

Lola frowned. "If this is about your son - "

"It isn't."

"Then I don't understand."

Catherine walked forward until she was at Lola's bedside, towering over her. Lola didn't stand - couldn't - but she kept her eyes trained on the queen, determined to keep what little ground she had. If anything, Catherine only seemed vaguely amused by such a display. "You seem to have a special talent, Lola, for taking things that don't belong to you. I had thought you'd grown smarter since your last mistake." Her head tilted slightly, bloodred skirts rustling as she shifted and crossed her arms over her chest. "It would seem I was wrong."

"What are you accusing me of, exactly?" Lola would not play games. She'd learned things were much better upfront and in the open.

"It has been brought to my attention that you and Lord Narcisse have... _relations._"

Lola's heart stuttered a bit, but she managed to keep a straight face. "What you've heard is false."

"It had certainly better be." Catherine stooped down like a mother leaning toward her young child. Her expression was still frozen into that horrible, sickening smile. "I would hate to see anything unfortunate happen to the mother of my grandchild."

And then she was gone just as quickly as she'd come, her skirts sweeping behind her and the door slamming shut. The instant she was out of sight Lola crumbled, her breath racing from her lungs as she dropped back down against her pillows. Her heartbeat hammered painfully in her ears. It took her a few moments to recover, dragging her legs back atop the bed and breathing deeply. _Ill._ It was absolutely, completely ridiculous, but as her head pounded she couldn't deny it.

She could do nothing that day, and probably the next, but Lola felt something simmering within.

There was a certain man she needed to have a talk with, and the sooner the better.

x

"I thank you for seeing me, Lord Forst." Her tea cup clicked almost musically as she delicately set it back on the tray, offering the young lord a smile. "Especially after our time together was so rudely cut short at the festival."

"The honor is mine completely." The young lord had been shy at first, but once they'd been seated and the servants left them he seemed to have relaxed immensely. "I was afraid I'd lost you that night."

Lola laughed softly, folding her hands in her lap. "I don't give up that easily."

"So I've heard." Lola raised an eyebrow and Lord Forst grinned. "I've heard of your endless devotion to Queen Mary. It's quite admirable."

She dipped her head, offering a polite smile. "You are far too kind." A brief pause, and she glanced up at him. "Did you enjoy the rest of the festival? Lady Kenna truly did a spectacular job."

He glanced out the nearby window, where green was just beginning to spread out over France. Spring held a promise of summer and warmth, but for the time being Lola found herself hating how lukewarm it felt. She missed the heat and scalding summer sun. "It was quite lovely, but I do believe your presence would have made it infinitely better." When he turned back she saw concern etched into his features. "I heard you fell ill the morning after."

His expression made her squirm slightly, and she hated herself for much preferring Narcisse's amused smirk and teasing. "It passed quickly. I'm feeling much more myself today."

"Excellent." He offered her another one of those smiles - something that was hesitant and somewhat strained, but still sweet - and leaned forward onto the table between them. "Lady Lola, I do hope you'll forgive me for being so forward, but I would quite like to court you."

Lola's heart nearly stopped. It was what she had been expecting, of course. What she'd wanted. But suddenly it seemed that it was happening too quickly. Her face became warm. "I - I would be honored, Lord Forst."

The smile blossomed into a full grin that made his face look fairly handsome, and Lola couldn't help smiling back even though her head was spinning. _Courtship. He wants courtship._ Eventually, if all worked out, he would want marriage. She could picture it if she tried hard enough. They would live in a large house with many servants, the grounds well kept, his family incredibly kind and polite. And yet, she could only imagine it in a constant state of springtime - always lukewarm, never quite enough for her.

She banished the thought from her mind. She was lucky for any offer at all, and this lord was young and kind. Things could have been much worse.

And yet, as Narcisse's smirk flashed through her mind without permission, she couldn't help but feel that things could have been much better, too.

x

"This weather is far too frigid and damp for a lady recovering from illness."

Lola was not surprised that Narcisse found her alone, as he seemed to have a talent for doing. She'd been in the gardens, desperately searching for any sign of life among near the pathways. She kept her eyes trained on the ground before her. "I was searching for flowers."

A pause, and she could feel his eyes burning into her back.

"I've heard Lord Forst intends to pursue you."

Turning around to face him, she tilted her chin upward slightly even as she tugged her cloak more tightly around herself. "What you've heard is true."

"I'd hoped I had persuaded you against such a decision. It could only end badly."

She couldn't help but release an extremely unladylike snort as he stepped toward her, close enough for her to feel his breath on her face. Strange, but such proximity no longer made her as uncomfortable as it once did. Instead, she rose to the challenge. "Do you know what else could only end badly?" He raised an eyebrow in that annoying way of his, and she scowled. "This. What we are doing right now, especially when Catherine now wants my head for it."

She wanted so badly for him to react - a moment a panic, a flicker of surprise - but his expression remained unchanged. "Catherine threatened you?"

"Did you expect otherwise?" Lola felt the fire being fueled and stood taller, her stance steady as she glared up at him. "You lied to me, made me think that it was safe to - "

"I never lied to you," Narcisse cut her off, tilting his head slightly. "I only asked if the status of my... _acquaintance_ with Catherine affected your opinion of me."

She resisted the urge to slap him. "Why does it _matter?_ You clearly are not willing to separate yourself from Catherine, so why do you care at all for me? She can give you everything you want. Love, power, money. Why do you not just go to her and leave me be?"

He regarded her evenly. "Most women would be honored that a man would hesitate before a queen when he thinks of them."

The beating in her chest fluttered. She bite the inside of her cheek. "From what I've heard, you have never hesitated. But I do not interfere in your social affairs, so I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop interfering in mine. I _welcome_ Lord Forst's attentions. He makes me happy."

His gaze darkened slightly. "I warn you, Lola, that a loveless marriage will bring you no happiness."

"Better a relationship without love than a relationship without trust."

She didn't give him time to respond, turning on her heel and heading back toward the castle, ignoring his calls after her. He didn't try to follow - she knew he wouldn't - but she swore she could feel his eyes on her until she rounded a corner and was out of his sight.

x

"A gift for you, my lady."

Lola raised an eyebrow as her maid presented her with a small package. She'd just been about to go to bed. "From who?"

"I'm not certain. It was brought by a servant boy who refused to give me a name."

Lola regarded the gift warily as she carefully lifted the cover. It took her a moment to recognize the item inside, and when she did it felt as if something within he was stirred to life. When she glanced up, she managed a shaky smile. "Thank you, Angeline. You are dismissed."

The girl curtsied and was gone. Lola gently lifted the item from the box and stared at the delicate blue petals, pressing her lips together tightly. Beneath the flower, in neat handwriting, was a simple note.

_The first spring flower._


End file.
